(Rated this album with 6 out of 10) Reviewed by
eschatonabysma
from New York
While this album has many great hooks, excellent vocals, and some very good songs, I can't believe the amount of hype around Iced Earth. Songs like "Stand Alone" show their style off well, but I can't see how they get mentioned in the same breath as Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, and even Iron Maiden (!?) when the style of song writing is so much more simplistic and conventional (not to mention some really cheesy lyrics). I would recommend this to anyone who wants to hear good hooks, but I think it is one of those metal albums that doesn't have enough depth to intellectually occupy one's interest for an extended period of time. Blind Guardian is catchier AND smarter, but I see way more Iced Earth shirts at your average metal show.
